In the medical field, the so-called enteral nutrition is known of patients who necessarily have to be artificially fed.
In medical practice, to perform such nutrition, gastric probes of various types are used, classified by site of location and type of use.
Nasogastric probes, e.g., are suitable for being introduced into a nostril of the nose, through the throat and the oesophagus as far as the patient's stomach.
The known probes generally comprise a tubular element, made of soft and flexible material, of the silicone or polyurethane type, with section and length that varies according to the type of application and age of the patient.
The distal extremity of the tubular element can be positioned inside the stomach of a patient and is commonly provided with a plurality of holes for dispensing the nutritional substances.
The proximal extremity of the tubular element is provided with a mouth for supplying the nutritional substances, which can be administered both by gravity and by means of suitable positive-displacement pumps.
Also known is the enteral nutrition of artificially-ventilated patients, e.g., in the case of the patient's normal vital functions being jeopardised or altered following an acute illness or traumatic event.
Consequently, it is necessary to read the pressure at several points along the small probe in order to adequately regulate the assisted ventilation of the patient.
To cater for this need, probes for enteral nutrition are known having a balloon made of elastic material which is arranged at a section of the tubular element and which is connected to a suitable transducer able to determine the pressure present outside the balloon itself.
These known probes do however have a number of drawbacks.
In particular, the known probes allow reading the pressure at only one point along the tubular element, thereby considerably restricting the quality of patient monitoring and, therefore, the possibility of adequately intervening to regulate the assisted ventilation.